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Overview

Click here to listen to the interview with Judith Stiehm and Nobel Prize-winner Wangari Maathai on the Mimi Geerges show.

Since it was first awarded in 1901, only twelve women have won the Nobel Prize for Peace. Hailing from all over the world, including the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Central America, some have held graduate degrees, while others are barely schooled. Some began their work when young, some well past middle age. One was titled and two were subsistence farmers. This book shows their varied lives in fascinating detail. Engaged and inspiring, these women clearly demonstrate that there is something each of us can do to advance a just, positive peace. Whether they began by insisting on garbage collection or simply by planting a tree, each understood that peace must be global in order to be sustained. All learned that peace is not always popular, but believed they must persevere. They shared a common vision and commitment undiminished by obstacles and opposition. All are truly champions for peace.

Editorial Reviews

The Christian Science Monitor

If you seek inspiration for instigating change, Stiehm's book will deliver. The earlier profiles are especially insightful, with the advantage of historical perspective. But the examples of all of these healers, writers, and peacemakers prove once again how one individual committed to goodness can lead civilization forward.

Journal Of International Women's Studies

Useful, accessible book that every peace activist and every feminist should have on her or his shelf.

Cynthia Enloe

Once again, Judith Stiehm, who has done so much to shine light on women inside militaries, shows us what a feminist curiosity about war and peace can freshly reveal. Champions for Peace opens our jaded eyes to all the smart thinking and savvy activist work that women in many countries have been doing to chart what peace looks like and move us toward creating it.

Barbara Ehrenreich

Champions for Peace is a book that was waiting to be written, and Judith Stiehm has handled the task with insight and verve. Give it to your daughter, but only after you absorb the inspiration yourself!

J. Ann Tickner

A highly readable account of the diverse lives and times of twelve remarkable women, united by their struggles for peace and justice. Judith Stiehm deserves our thanks for bringing their stories together.

Susan Waltz

Judith Stiehm’s clear, crisp narrative carries us into the company of twelve remarkably ordinary women recognized for their extraordinary contributions to international peace and social justice. Though different in many ways, the Nobel Peace women have shared a gift for recognizing what needed to be done and pursuing it with dogged determination. Stiehm shows us that their 'heroism' is within reach of us all. This book is both a celebration and an inspiration.

Donna E. Shalala

An extraordinary story of champions—women who pursued peace. Some came from great wealth, others from poverty. All ages, religions, ethnic backgrounds—and all extraordinarily optimistic. A must-read for your soul.

Pamela Aall

Judith Stiehm has written a wonderfully readable book about twelve gifted activist women who have been forces for change in the world. Stiehm reminds us that women have been critical to creating an understanding of peace, how difficult peace is to achieve, and what it takes to promote peaceful change. Their accomplishments are the more remarkable because these women were not presidents or prime ministers. Their power came not from political office or military strength, but from the force of their ideas, passion, and commitment to advancing a nonviolent vision of resolving conflicts. Stiehm's deft touch and engaging style presents these women so that we become familiar with their human sides as well as their remarkable achievements.

Henrik Syse

The women who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize showcase a remarkably wide variety of personalities and interests. Thus, reading their histories provides us with a true sample of diversified greatness. All of these individuals have addressed wrongs largely created by men. All have performed challenging and unusual feats. Some have been—and remain—controversial. Professor Stiehm has done a great service for us in collecting their achievements and putting them in the larger context of the Peace Prize. This book will be an invaluable reference work.

Pamela R. Aall

Judith Stiehm has written a wonderfully readable book about twelve gifted activist women who have been forces for change in the world. Stiehm reminds us that women have been critical to creating an understanding of peace, how difficult peace is to achieve, and what it takes to promote peaceful change. Their accomplishments are the more remarkable because these women were not presidents or prime ministers. Their power came not from political office or military strength, but from the force of their ideas, passion, and commitment to advancing a nonviolent vision of resolving conflicts. Stiehm's deft touch and engaging style presents these women so that we become familiar with their human sides as well as their remarkable achievements.

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Anonymous

Posted September 4, 2006

An important book for women and men, and a pleasure to read.

These remarkable life stories of the twelve women who have won Nobel Peace Prizes are fun to read and an inspiration as well. As Judith Hicks Stiehm makes plain, they show what one person can do. And they show that you can do valuable work for peace without being rich or famous: 'They have been young, middle-aged, and old. They have been of titled nobility and subsistence farmers. They have held doctorates, and they have also been barely schooled.' (p. ix) A map (page x) displays the countries they come from--three from the United States, Jane Addams, Emily Greene Balch, and Jody Williams. Two are from Ireland, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan. South America has one, Guatemala's Rigoberta Menchu Tum. Two are from Africa--Mother Teresa from Macedonia, and Wangari Matthai from Kenya. From Europe are Sweden's Alva Myrdal and Austria's Bertha von Suttner. From Iran, there is Shirin Ebadi, and from Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi. 'What they have had in common is a vision, a commitment to action, and a willingness to persevere in the face of criticism and, in some cases, imprisonment.' (p. ix) This book is meant for both women and men. Stiehm argues that it is mostly men who start wars on behalf of governments and in their roles as protectors, mostly men who fight them, and the violence they do is mostly to men. Thus, everyone needs to recognize that a lot of men have got to change if violence is to be avoided. She lists the men and organizations who have won Nobel Peace Prizes. I think every family should have this book, every teacher, every public official, every elementary and high school library, every public library,and every college and university library. I hope book clubs will make it their choice and their topic of discussion. I hope it will be translated into other languages. Many, many photographs add immeasurably to one's pleaure and understanding. The book has questions at the end for people in the Unites States and other countries to think about. The bibliographies for each chapter and the list of general sources give some hint of the extensive research and broad scholarship of this wise author.

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